More than 40 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are called to vote for new parliaments and a new president. But violence and allegations of fraud overshadowed the election.
Until recently it was rumored that the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo would have to be postponed again. The conditions for a free, democratic and credible election are extremely poor.
In the east of the country, more than 100 militias have been fighting for power and control over the valuable raw material deposits there for years. Because of the bloody clashes, around 1.7 million people will not be able to cast their votes.
In addition, around seven million of their compatriots are displaced in their own country, without papers and therefore not registered to vote. Together, that’s almost a quarter of those eligible to vote who are unable to take part in the elections in the first place.
Timely choice
That alone should give unsuccessful candidates enough reasons to later challenge an unpleasant result. Nevertheless, the electoral commission decided to carry out the vote on time – also under pressure from the president.
Felix Tshisekedi told the AP news agency that he was confident that the election would be carried out credibly. “We have to stop scaring people,” he said. “We go (to the polls) with full confidence until proven otherwise.”
Incumbent Felix Tshisekedi came to power in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2018. He is considered the favorite in the election.
Congo was to become the “Germany of Africa”.
The incumbent is considered the overwhelming favorite in this election. However, this has little to do with the fact that Tshisekedi achieved great successes in his almost five years as president.
Tshisekedi came into office with the promise of making the Congo the “Germany of Africa”. But the huge country in Central Africa is far from that.
Despite its wealth in valuable raw materials such as coltan, copper and cobalt, a large part of the population lives in deep poverty. About 60 percent of Congolese have less than two dollars a day. The raw material wealth mainly flows into the pockets of international mining companies and corrupt politicians.
Hardly any improvement in living conditions
Tshisekedi has achieved just as little in the fight against corruption as he has in bringing peace to eastern Congo. On the contrary: Violence in the border region with Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi has increased since the Tutsi rebel movement M23 has regained strength and has been able to expand its territory over the past two years.
The government can only claim the introduction of free obstetric care and primary education. But for the majority of Congolese, life has not improved in the past five years.
Voter fraud probably possible
Despite this meager record, Tshisekedi has a good chance of winning a second term. On the one hand, because the opposition is fragmented and could not agree on a common opponent.
On the other hand, because the electoral commission will most likely – as before – do what the government says and, if necessary, make an inappropriate election result suitable.
Tshisekedi’s 2018 election victory came about in a highly dubious manner. The electoral commission at the time declared him the clear winner with 38.56 percent of the vote, well ahead of his closest competitor Martin Fayulu.
However, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, as an independent election observer, came to a completely different result in its own count. Afterwards, Tshisekedi received less than 20 percent of the vote, just a third of the result for Fayulu.
Since then, rumors have persisted that the election was a set-up between Tshisekedi and his predecessor Joseph Kabila. After all, the result led to the first peaceful transfer of power in the history of the Congo. Still, the president may be interested in a more credible victory now than in 2018.
Gynecologist and activist Denis Mukwege, shortly after announcing his candidacy for the presidential election. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for his almost two-decade fight against sexual violence.
A Nobel Peace Prize winner as a challenger
In addition to Tshisekedi, more than 20 challengers are running for president. However, a maximum of three of them could have real chances.
Denis Mukwege comes from the embattled eastern Congo and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for his treatment of thousands of victims of systematic rape. He called on the Congolese to vote for freedom: “We can no longer support a system that does nothing so that people no longer have to starve and can live in peace,” he said during the election campaign.
However, it is unlikely that the gynecologist will get enough votes to win with this demand.
Numerous other competitors
The presumed election winner of 2018, Martin Fayulu, could have better chances if he is not outdone by candidate number three: Moise Katumbi is one of the super-rich in Congo, was extremely successful as governor of the raw materials province of Katanga and is considered so promising that the government wanted to prevent him from running for office with a legal trick – like in 2018. This time, however, in vain.
A simple majority is enough to win the Congo election. A result of the count is not expected until next week, probably after December 27th.
International observers fear that violence could break out. There have already been shootings at election rallies with numerous injuries.
According to reports from the British broadcaster BBC, two parliamentary candidates were killed last Sunday while campaigning for votes. Given these incidents, it is at least doubtful whether things will remain peaceful after the elections.
Linda Staude, ARD Nairobi, tagesschau, December 19, 2023 5:26 p.m